


Get This Man a Corgi

by Shi_Toyu



Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Bruce Banner & Tony Stark Friendship, Bruce Banner Feels, Bruce Banner Has Issues, Bruce Banner Needs a Hug, Bucky Barnes Feels, Bucky Barnes Has Issues, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Bucky Barnes's Metal Arm, Crack Treated Seriously, Fic Exchange, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Inspired by Art, Protective Phil Coulson, Protective Steve Rogers, Protective Tony Stark, Steve Rogers Feels, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Steve Rogers-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-16
Updated: 2018-10-16
Packaged: 2019-08-03 01:34:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,758
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16316609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shi_Toyu/pseuds/Shi_Toyu
Summary: Steve must deal with the aftermath on a mission gone wrong.Inspired by this Tumblr post: https://zola9612.tumblr.com/post/178285008053/shi-toyu-zola9612-thewilfling-get-this





	Get This Man a Corgi

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Zola9612](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zola9612/gifts).



> For zola9612 who reached out to me over Tumblr!

The Avengers had never faced a supervillain quite like this one before. Steve could feel the sweat dampening his uniform as he watched SHIELD pack up the teenage girl, still a little shell-shocked by all that had transpired. His fingers flexed their grip on the edge of his shield as he heard Coulson approaching.

“How are they?” he asked worriedly, before the agent could even open his mouth.

To most, Agent Coulson would look as unflappable as ever, but Steve knew him well enough to be able to recognize the tightness around his eyes for the stress it was. It didn’t do anything to make him feel less concerned for his team. He was the only one who’d made it out of this battle unscathed, after all.

“We’ve gotten them all rounded up and ready for transport back to medical so the SHIELD scientists can have a look at them, see what can be done. We’ve sent word to Doctor Strange, as well, since this might be more in the realm of his expertise than ours.”

Steve frowned at the thought of his teammates being poked and prodded in a lab, so many of them having a bad history with that sort of thing, but he also saw the necessity of it. There was nothing about this that was a usual situation.

“I’d like to come along,” he told Coulson. “I’ll feel better if I can be with them.”

Coulson gave his signature not-smile and turned to lead the way.

“I thought that might be how you’d feel. I told the transport to wait for us.”

Steve could hear the yapping before he turned the corner to spot the van. One wall was lined with dog crates, like some high-tech parody of an animal catcher’s van. Each one held a small, fluffy dog with sandy-colored fur and big ears. Steve grimaced at his teammates essentially being locked up, but he was also certain it wouldn’t end well to let them run around the vehicle as they drove back to SHIELD headquarters.

“Can they understand us?” he asked Coulson and they climbed in to take their seats on the bench along the opposite wall.

“It’s unclear yet.”

Steve’s worried gaze swept over his teammates, from Tony, who was barking up a storm, to Bucky, cowering in a corner, growling and snapping at anything that dared get close.

“It’s going to be okay,” he promised them, praying that they would understand. “You’re all going to be just fine.”

.

It took hours for SHIELD to clear the team from medical, hours that Steve spent alternating between sitting in an uncomfortable plastic chair and pacing the tiny waiting room. He filled out his after-action report on the tablet Coulson brought him and pestered the nurses for information enough times that they finally started avoiding him. Steve was about ready to scream by the time a doctor appeared and headed his way. This was his _team_ , dammit, his _friends!_ It didn’t help at all that, as far as the medical team could tell, there was nothing that could be done to help.

“Her methods were more magic than science,” the doctor explained as he led Steve back to the area where they were keeping the rest of the Avengers. “We’ll have to hope Doctor Strange is able to find out more than we were able to. For now, I’m afraid they’re stuck as corgis.”

“Corgis?”

“The breed,” the doctor said, pushing open the door to allow Steve into the examination room where all seven of his teammates were being held. “As far as we can tell, they’re about as intelligent as the average dog, if a trained one, and have no memories of their former lives. Except for Mr. Stark. We’re not sure about him. When showed a picture of himself, he kept barking and trying to lick it. He also attempted to bite Director Fury earlier, though he hasn’t shown aggression toward anyone else or any of the others.”

Steve’s lips quirked upwards. That sounded like Tony. He crossed the room in just two quick strides to kneel down next to their cages.

“Is it really necessary to keep them locked up like this?”

“We didn’t want them getting out and running off. Agent Barton, in particular, has made quite a few escape attempts. Of course, once we know where they’re going in the long run-“

“Where they’re going? What exactly does that mean?”

If SHIELD thought they could just ship the team off somewhere…

“It’s probably best if they either stay here at headquarters, in which case we’d prepare an area for them, or return to the tower. It wasn’t clear if you had an environment there that you would feel suited them, however. Corgis are a very high-energy breed, and in such numbers… They’re sure to be a handful until we’re able to get them back to themselves.”

Steve felt some of the tension in his shoulders relax.

“You say that like they aren’t a handful _normally_. The tower will be fine, though. I’m sure they’ll be much more comfortable there anyway,” he said, eyeing the way Bruce and Bucky were both trying to make themselves appear smaller. “JARVIS and I will be able to handle them.”

The doctor nodded sharply, thankfully not arguing.

“I’ll get things prepared for their transport, then, and get together some reading for you. Please keep us updated if anything should change about the situation.”

“Is it alright if I stay with them until it’s time to leave?” Steve asked.

It wasn’t like he needed to pack anything. He was still in uniform, shield strapped to his back. The doctor smiled at him kindly.

“I think they would appreciate that. You can feel free to let them out of the crates as well, just, please, only one at a time. And keep and _eye_ on Agent Barton.”

Steve gave him a grateful smile in return as he sank down to sit on the floor.

“Thank you.”

“Not a problem. I’ll be back in a bit with your paperwork and to let you know when the transport will be ready.”

He exited the room without further comment and Steve turned his attention on his teammates in their new, furry forms. Their bodies all basically looked the same, but there were some telling signs in the details that made it clear who they really were. Thor was in the crate furthest to the left, light fur gleaming even in the fluorescent lighting. His tongue lolled out of one side of his mouth and he seemed the most excited to see Steve, of all of them. He kept spinning in a tight circle, yipping, and then spinning again.

In the crate beside him was Natasha, a reddish-tint to her fur. Despite the commotion taking place so close-by, her ears only twitched occasionally as she napped. Steve had a feeling she was going to be the easiest of all of them to handle. Bucky was in the next crate, pressed back into the corner and curled in on himself. He had darker fur and Steve could just barely make out the metal of his prosthetic, which Bucky had tucked up underneath himself. At least he didn’t seem as aggressive as he had earlier. Feeling a pang in his heart at the sad sight, Steve opened the door to Bucky’s crate cautiously and held out his palm in invitation.

“Hey, there, Buck…” he spoke soothingly. “It’s me, Steve. It’s alright. Everything’s gonna be just fine. Do you think you could come out of there for me?”

It took a few minutes of coaxing, but Bucky finally crawled forward enough to tentatively lick the tips of Steve’s fingers and allowed the blond to lift him out of the crate and into his lap. He stroked Bucky’s fur, frowning at the way he could feel the little body shivering beneath his touch. Bucky had to be so scared, not knowing what was going on… The whole situation was just awful. Trying to keep his mood from sinking too low, Steve rubbed Bucky’s ears as he continued his perusal of his other teammates.

Clint’s crate was at the end of the line, just after Bucky’s. The dirty-blond shading of his fur wasn’t a dead giveaway, but Steve was pretty sure Clint was the only one who’d be content to lay on his side and gnaw at the bars. At least he didn’t seem distressed. Not like Bruce, whose crate sat balanced atop his and Bucky’s. The poor guy looked almost as miserable as Bucky, eyes wide and scared, visibly trembling. Steve knew how nervous being in a lab that wasn’t his own or Tony’s made him.

“You’re next,” he promised. “Hopefully some cuddles will help you feel better, too.”

They seemed to be working for Bucky, at least, who was melting down into a puppy puddle in Steve’s lap, the longer he scratched. Tony, from the crate next to Bruce’s, whined and pawed at the bars as if trying to dig his way through to his Science Bro. His large ears were pricked up high. The dark fur around his muzzle looked uncannily like his signature facial hair and a circular, pale patch of fur sat on his chest where the arc reactor usually was. Sam, from the last cage over, watched on curiously.

Steve looked back and forth between the two. It… it couldn’t _hurt_ , right? And it wasn’t technically taking two of them out at a time if he put Tony right back in another cage. He gave Bucky one more reassuring pat before reaching for the latch on Tony’s cage. Bucky whined, but hunkered down instead of running off and Steve chose to take that as a good sign. _Tony_ , on the other hand, was wiggling around so much that Steve could barely get a hand on him to pick him up.

“Hey! Hey! Slow-Stop that! Do you want to go see Bruce or not?”

As ever, Steve’s protests did little to keep Tony from doing what he wanted and the over-excited pup wiggled and squirmed the entire time Steve held him, practically trying to swim through the air and into the cage that held Bruce. Steve gave a sigh of relief as he latched the door once more and watched with a small smile as Tony bee-lined over to Bruce and cuddled up with him.

He returned to petting Bucky, his smile lingering. It definitely wouldn’t be easy, but they’d be fine. They’d all make sure of it. Together.

**Author's Note:**

> BTW, I reached a milestone on [ Tumblr](https://shi-toyu.tumblr.com/) and am doing a fic giveaway to celebrate! Feel free to come over and check it out!


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